Maybe This Chrismukkah
by britgirl2003
Summary: COMPLETED. Set in season 2, postChrismukkah. Sandy, Kirsten, Seth and Ryan have a family holiday to New York to visit the Nana. Final chapter added.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: I don't own The OC or any of its characters, etc.**

**Summary: Set just after _The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't_, the Cohens+1 have a family holiday to New York to visit the Nana. **

**I had fun writing _Lockdown_ and I got good responses, so I thought I'd try another one. I've never been to New York before, so I can only apologise about my geography because it's bound to be wrong! I hope you like it. **

* * *

"Have you got the tickets?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

"Including the boys'?"

"Yes."

"And the taxi is booked?"

"It'll be here at one."

"Have you packed enough sweaters?"

"Yes."

"Because it's going to be cold, you know."

"I know."

"We don't want to be cold."

"We won't be."

There was silence for a moment.

"Maybe I should check the tickets again."

Kirsten reached the bag before Sandy did.

"Sandy, you've already checked three times. If you unpack this bag again, I swear to God, I'll leave you behind," Kirsten scolded.

Sandy pouted and Kirsten sighed in exasperation.

"Why don't you check on Seth and Ryan? The last time I saw them, they were distracted by the playstation," Kirsten suggested.

Sandy's eyes grew even wider than usual. "They're not packed?"

He spun around and rushed out of the bedroom, towards the house. Kirsten shook her head. _This was going to be a long holiday._

Sandy walked quickly through the house towards the sound of computer games coming from the family room.

"Seth? Ryan? What are you doing? Go and get ready!" Sandy yelled at them as he came through the kitchen.

They both looked up in surprise.

"We _are_ ready," Ryan frowned. _He had already told Kirsten that, hadn't he?_

Sandy paused. "You are?"

Seth and Ryan both nodded.

"Are you sure you've got everything? Plenty of sweaters? Trousers? Underpants?"

"Dad, don't say underpants," Seth groaned.

"Yeah, everything is packed. Our cases are by the front door," Ryan answered Sandy's question.

"Oh."

"How come we're going to visit the Nana anyway?" Seth asked. "We never go visit the Nana."

"Well, she wasn't sick before," Sandy countered bitterly. "And I doubt you bothered to visit her while you were gone over the summer?"

Seth looked away, feeling guilty. It was true; he had barely contacted his parents over the summer, let alone his dying grandmother.

Sandy softened. "It's been a while since I've had chance to see her either, what with everything that's happened with your grandfather."

Seth chuckled. "Just wait until the Nana finds out about what grandpa's been up to."

"And you're not to tell her," Sandy ordered. "Your mother is upset enough, without having to listen to the Nana's opinion on the subject."

"How is Kirsten?" Ryan asked.

Since the big Chrismukkah reveal, Kirsten had reduced herself to pretending that everything was "fine" and she dismissed her family's concerns by insisting that she was "ok". Ryan guessed that if she had shown her true feelings to anyone, it would be Sandy; but all Sandy could do was shrug.

"I think a break away from Newport and Caleb Nichol is exactly what she needs. So I want you two to behave yourselves in New York, ok? For Kirsten and the Nana," Sandy looked sternly at them.

They both nodded solemnly and Seth marked a cross against his heart.

"I'm gonna go and check to see if Kirsten's finished packing. I don't want you boys to move, the taxi will be here soon," Sandy said.

Sandy left them alone and Seth immediately went back to the computer game in front of him.

"Your dad's acting kinda irrational, isn't he?" Ryan commented. "I thought it would've been Kirsten who was running around in a panic."

"Yeah, well, when it comes to the Nana, Ryan, my parents have a role-reversal. Nothing is normal when it comes to the Nana," Seth answered without taking his eyes off the screen.

When Sandy got back to the bedroom, he found Kirsten locking the suitcase.

"All done?"

Kirsten nodded. "And yes, I made sure we have everything," she said, pre-empting his question.

Sandy ran his hand through his hair nervously. Kirsten walked over to him and ran her hands down his arms reassuringly.

"Sandy, would you just relax? We're only going to New York for a few days," Kirsten tried to appease him.

"I know," Sandy sighed. "But that's long enough for Sophie Cohen to enter her opinion on every aspect of our lives. You know what my mother's like."

Kirsten laughed. She had been on the receiving end of the Nana's sharp tongue on more occasions than she dared to remember. She suddenly felt a yawn creeping up and covered her mouth to hide it. Sandy's worries moved from his mother to his wife. She was pale and her face was drawn, with dark circles under her eyes where he knew she wasn't sleeping well. Despite her repeated assurances that she was ok, Sandy knew otherwise.

"How are you doing?" he asked her gently. He saw her eyes glaze over in pretence, like they always did at the moment.

"I'm…"

"Don't say 'ok'" Sandy interrupted. "You're not ok. I know you. I know when you're ok and when you're not ok. And you're _not_ ok."

Kirsten sighed. She had been avoiding this conversation successfully until now and she didn't want that to change.

"We should take the bags to the hall and wait for the taxi," she said, breaking away from Sandy.

"Kirsten…"

"_I'm ok_," Kirsten stressed. "Please, can we not do this now?"

Her eyes pleaded with him and Sandy relented. He picked up the suitcase and Kirsten followed him down the stairs and through the house, dropping the travel bag next to the rest of the luggage. Sandy looked back at Kirsten and she could see the concern in his eyes. She sighed, knowing she was being unfair.

"I'm sorry for being so snappy," she said softly.

Sandy wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug and Kirsten gratefully accepted, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you wanna come?" Sandy asked.

"Believe it or not, right now I'd rather spend a few days with your mother than my father," Kirsten said. She laughed but Sandy could hear the sorrow in her voice.

The sound of a car horn interrupted them and they broke apart as Seth came bounding towards them from the kitchen, trailed by Ryan.

"Are you guys ready for the Nana?" Sandy teased.

"Yeah!" Seth cheered, punching the air in excitement. "You're going to love New York, Ryan. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Centre, Central Park, Broadway, Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler building. _And_ they have the most amazing comic book stores."

Ryan shook his head in amusement as he followed Seth out of the house to the taxi, followed by Kirsten and Sandy. The ride to the airport was relatively painless, even though Sandy spent the whole journey giving the driver the directions he thought would be the quickest.

"We don't want to miss the plane!" he had defended when Kirsten had told him to let the driver drive in peace.

Sandy finally settled once they were in the air, distracted by a crossword puzzle. Kirsten rested her head on his shoulder, offering answers every now and again. Seth was engrossed in a comic book and Ryan entertained himself with the repeats of Friends on the in-flight television.

Ryan was excited about New York. It was the kind of place he had only ever dreamed about going when he was growing up, he never thought he might actually go some time. Living with Seth, Sandy and Kirsten had brought Ryan many opportunities he never thought he would have.

Of course, he had argued against going. The Nana wouldn't expect him to come; it was a family trip, he would only be in the way. Despite reassurances from Sandy and arguments from Seth, it had been the threat of tears from an already distressed Kirsten that had finally persuaded Ryan to come.

The first thing Ryan noticed when he stepped out of the airport was the temperature drop. They had left Newport at a mild fifty degrees; New York was bitterly cold and Ryan could see clouds escape from his mouth as he breathed. Sandy hailed down a taxi – a yellow taxicab, to Ryan's delight – and they squashed in together. He watched the passing scenery in excitement. A couple of inches of snow had settled on the ground, crunching underfoot as people walked by, bundled up in thick coats, hats, scarves and gloves.

When they reached the Bronx, Sandy fell silent as he saw the familiar streets and buildings that he had grown up with. The memories came flooding back to him – his father leaving one day, gone suddenly with no goodbye; the endless nights he had spent on the streets and in the parks with his friends: smoking, drinking, fighting, vandalising; his English teacher, Mr Fleming, who had seen something more in him and given him the chance to leave it all behind him. That chance had led him to California, where he had found himself working in a job in he loved, helping kids like himself. Kids like Ryan. Sandy glanced back at Kirsten, who read his mind and smiled softly.

They finally pulled up outside the Nana's house. Grabbing their cases, they stood patiently at the front door as Sandy rang the bell. When no-one answered, Sandy frowned and tried again. They heard rustling behind the door, which finally opened. They all had to hold back a gasp at the sight of the Nana in front of them. She wasn't the same Sophie Cohen who had come for Passover earlier in the year: the chemotherapy had taken its toll. She had lost weight dramatically, her complexion was grey and heavy bags had settled under her eyes. She looked frail and unsteady on her feet. The hairpiece she was wearing to conceal her hair loss was askew. They had clearly woken her from sleeping.

"Hey ma," Sandy greeted her, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"Sandy? What are you guys doing here?" Sophie asked.

Sandy's face dropped. "We've come to visit you for a few days, don't you remember me saying?"

"I thought that was next week? The twenty-seventh?"

"Ma, it is the twenty-seventh," Sandy told her cautiously.

He saw her frown, clearly confused. "Of course it is, of course it is."

"You know, maybe we should go and find a hotel to stay at. You don't want us all under your feet," Kirsten suggested.

"Don't be silly, you'll stay here," Sophie snapped, standing aside to let them in.

Sandy shot Kirsten an apologetic look as they walked into the house and through to the living room, which opened up into the kitchen. The house was as dishevelled as the Nana's appearance. Papers and magazines were scattered everywhere, a pile of dirty plates stood by the kitchen sink and an inch of dust layered every surface. The house looked like it hadn't been cleaned for weeks, and Sandy knew his mother usually kept an immaculate house.

Sophie followed them into the room and began to fuss around them, trying to make the house more presentable.

"So, how are you doing, mom?" Sandy asked, his tone flat as he tried to hide the concern in his voice. His mother didn't like to feel pitied.

"Oh, I'm doing ok. It's been a busy few days," Sophie answered, keeping her voice light. She was aware of their concerned looks over her shoulder. "Do you want coffee?"

Everybody nodded over-enthusiastically. Sandy looked at Seth, gesturing his head towards the kitchen.

"I'll make it, Nana," Seth offered.

"No, you will not. Sit down," Sophie ordered.

They watched her as she moved slowly around the kitchen. Kirsten put a soothing hand on Sandy's back, while Seth and Ryan exchanged worried glances.

"Um, they'll have to be black. I don't have any milk," Sophie chimed from the kitchen.

"Why don't we go out somewhere? It's nearly dinner time anyway," Sandy suggested.

He saw his mother considering his offer and persevered.

"I don't know about you, but I know I'm not in the mood to cook."

Sophie nodded, aware that there was nothing in her kitchen that she could feed them. She knew what they were all thinking and she kicked herself for letting the house get into such a state; but she had been so tired lately, with work and the cancer treatment, and she had let things slip.

"Ok, I'll just go freshen up," she said, disappearing upstairs.

"_What the hell has been going on?_" Sandy exploded.

Kirsten hushed him. "Sandy, she'll hear you."

Sandy quietened to an angry whisper. "Look at this place, it's a mess. She looks awful, she's obviously not looking after herself properly. What do Joel and Abby think they're playing at?"

Sandy was referring to his brother and sister. He had spoken to them regularly since their mother had become sick and they always assured him that they were taking care of her.

"Sandy, you don't know what's been going on. Don't jump to any conclusions until you've spoken to them," Kirsten tried to placate him.

"I know what _hasn't_ been going on," Sandy sighed angrily.

"Everybody ready?" Sophie's voice interrupted them from behind.

"Yeah."

"Absolutely."

"You know, I might not come to dinner," Kirsten suddenly announced.

Everyone turned to look at her, surprised. Sandy frowned and Sophie spied her suspiciously.

"I'm really tired. I think I'll just have a bath and get some sleep," Kirsten explained.

"You do look like you haven't slept in days," Sophie said snidely.

"Ma!" Sandy scolded.

Sophie held her hands up. "I'm just saying."

"Well, ok, if that's what you want to do," Sandy said, a little confused. He kissed her cheek before turning and leading the way out of the house.

Kirsten nodded reassuringly at Seth and Ryan, who glanced curiously in her direction, before piling into the Nana's car. Sandy offered to drive and was surprised when Sophie conceded so easily. They didn't have to drive for long before Sandy found a steakhouse.

They settled around a square table and studied the menus in an awkward silence. It was after the waiter had taken their orders that Sophie started her inquisition.

"So, Sandy, how's work?" Sophie asked.

"Actually, I left my job at the law firm," Sandy said.

"Oh?"

Sandy suddenly felt uneasy under his mother's stare.

"Yeah, we had a disagreement about, uh, a client that I was representing," Sandy answered as vaguely as possible, sending a warning glance at Seth and Ryan not to mention that the client was Caleb.

"So what are you going to do? Go back to the PD's office?" Sophie's voice was hopeful. Self-righteousness ran in the Cohen family and Sophie had never been happy that Sandy had left that job in the first place.

"No, I'm going to set up my own practice actually," Sandy said cautiously.

"Really?"

"I still have the money I got from selling the restaurant. It should be enough to get me started," Sandy said.

"Well, let's hope this idea lasts longer than the restaurant," Sophie commented.

"It will," Sandy said firmly, ignoring his mother's snide remark as he had become accustomed to doing by now.

"Well, if it doesn't, you can always live off your wife's money."

Sandy sighed irritably. "My wife has a name, you know."

Sophie shrugged, unperturbed, and moved her attention to Seth.

"And what about you, Sethela? Are you home for good or are you planning any more unplanned expeditions?" Sophie asked.

Seth squirmed under her hard stare. "No, Nana, I'm back for good now."

"Huh. You're lucky you got away so lightly. If it had been up to me…"

"Well, it's not," Sandy interrupted. He had always had very different opinions to parenting than his mother. Sophie glared at him and then went back to quizzing Seth.

"And what about that young girl of yours, Summer?"

"Summer and I are just friends now," Seth said, regretfully.

"Ah, that's a shame. I liked Summer, she was good for you," Sophie said.

The three men looked towards her, surprised at her sympathy.

"Still, it serves your right," Sophie continued without disappointment.

"And you, young man," Sophie started towards Ryan, who shrunk down in his seat as she glared at him. He had hoped that he would be spared the Sophie Cohen treatment since he wasn't a real member of the family, but apparently that didn't matter.

"I hope this summer has taught you to be more careful in the future," Sophie said.

Ryan turned bright red, worried that the Nana was about to start dealing out contraceptive advice.

"Ma," Sandy's tone warned her. Since his return to Newport, Ryan hadn't spoken much about Theresa and the baby, and he didn't want the Nana upsetting him.

Sophie finally went quiet once their food arrived. The mood was subdued as they ate, the conversation revolving around the Nana's opinions on what Sandy's brother and sister were doing.

Sandy insisted on paying for dinner, despite Sophie's objections, and they made their way back to the house. It was quiet when they entered, except for the low hum of the television.

"There's only one spare bedroom, so I hope you boys will be comfortable downstairs. The sofa pulls out into a bed," Sophie said.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, mom," Sandy assured her.

"Yeah…except it's already occupied," Ryan said as he walked first into the family room.

They looked towards the sofa, which had already been pulled out into a bed. The sleeping bags had been unrolled on top and Kirsten lay across them, bundled up in her bathrobe and curled up in a ball, fast asleep. Sandy looked around and saw that she had tidied the family room. The dirty dishes in the kitchen were now glistening clean on the draining board. It finally became clear why she had refrained from going to dinner with them.

Sophie noticed all three of them smile affectionately towards the mass of blonde hair. Sandy wandered over to her, almost tempted not to wake his sleeping wife. It was the first time he had seen her sleeping peacefully since Chrismukkah. He sat down carefully next to her and the movement stirred her.

"Hey," he said softly as Kirsten's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, how was dinner?" Kirsten asked, lifting her head slightly as Sandy left a light kiss on her lips.

"Good," Sandy said.

"My steak was too tough," Sophie offered.

Kirsten stretched and sat up, sitting next to Sandy on the edge of the sofabed.

"I see you've been busy," Sophie said, gesturing to the tidy room.

Kirsten wasn't surprised at the lack of gratitude and played along as best as possible. "Oh, I hope you don't mind me making room for the boys?"

"It's fine. I just hope you didn't break a nail," Sophie scorned.

Kirsten responded with a wry smile, while Sandy sighed next to her.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Sophie announced. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Goodnight."

"Night, mom."

They waited until they heard her go upstairs and retreat into her bedroom.

"How was she during dinner?" Kirsten asked. "You guys look relatively unharmed."

"Pretty much the same as that," Sandy said. Kirsten rubbed his back to soothe him.

"Is she alright, dad?" Seth asked.

Sandy shrugged. "I don't know."

They all sat despondently for a moment until Kirsten stood up, yawning.

"Come on, we should all get some rest," she said, pulling Sandy up next to her. "You boys sleep well. Don't stay up all night talking, ok?"

"Ok," Seth agreed.

"Goodnight boys," Sandy said, following Kirsten upstairs.

"You ok?" Ryan asked Seth.

Seth nodded sadly. "I guess I didn't think about the Nana much while I was in Portland. I sent the odd postcard but that was it. I should have kept in touch more."

Ryan sat quietly. He didn't have an answer and, unlike Seth, he didn't waste words.

"You know, when I was little and my other grandma got sick, mom and dad sent me to stay with the Nana for a while. She's not as scary as she makes out. She would take me out for ice-cream and buy me comic books and she taught me how to tie my laces. I remember asking her what she thought happened after you die and she told me about heaven, about how it was filled with the people and things that we love, where nothing bad ever happens. She told me my heaven would be a place where superheroes really existed and I'd have as much chocolate ice-cream that I could eat. And she told me that all she wanted in her heaven was her family. But she shouldn't have to wait until she's in heaven to have that."

Seth felt his voice begin to choke and he stopped. Ryan put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. Seth smiled gratefully before shaking him off.

"You heard the Kirsten. Let's get some sleep."

Upstairs, Kirsten watched silently from the bed as Sandy undressed before climbing in next to her. He held out his arm and Kirsten curled up against him, resting her head on his chest.

"Thank you for what you did tonight," Sandy said.

"I was just avoiding a night with your mother," Kirsten dismissed.

Sandy smiled slightly and tightened his hold of her. He knew it was more than that.

"What do I do?" Sandy sighed. "How do I help her?"

Kirsten paused. "You remember when my mom got sick and I would go round every day to help her? She was so mad that we had come back to Newport. She was mad at my dad for asking us and she was mad at us for agreeing. She wouldn't let me do anything around the house, she'd just snap at me every time I moved a coffee mug or cleaned the dishes. And one day I turned up and she was in the bathroom being sick. I didn't say anything, I just went in and held her hair back and wiped her forehead. She wasn't so mad after that and she let me help her."

Sandy listened as Kirsten spoke.

"Your mom, she's a proud woman. If you offer to help her, she's gonna say no," Kirsten continued.

"I know that," Sandy said. "So what do I do?"

"If she's going to refuse, maybe you should just not ask," Kirsten spoke slowly so that Sandy understood her point.

Sandy kissed the top of her head and they fell silent. He felt Kirsten fall asleep in his arms but too many thoughts clouded his head as he stared at the ceiling. Sandy was used to helping people; it was what he did. Now, he just needed to figure out how to help the one person who needed it the most.


	2. Chapter 2

**Check me out – it only took 5 months to update! Anyone remember this fic? **

**Thank you so much for the reviews that were left for the first chapter, I really appreciate them. I'll try not to take too long to update again, there's actually a second half to this part but it was getting long. So I hope you enjoy this half and I'll try and update soon.**

* * *

Sandy woke early the next morning. He had been drifting in and out of sleep all night and he felt tired after an unsettled night. 

_"If she's going to refuse, maybe you should just not ask."_

Kirsten's words had stayed in his head. His mother wasn't going to accept his help easily, he knew that. He just needed to find a way to make her see that she couldn't do it alone any more.

Sandy was usually the strong one. If someone was in trouble, they turned to Sandy, because usually he had the answers.

Except when his family was sick.

When Seth was eight, he had a hernia. They had been moving into the McMansion that Caleb had built for them and Sandy was trying to get Seth to help him move the boxes from the van to the house, but Seth had complained that his stomach hurt. Sandy had dismissed him at first, since Seth was always making excuses when they needed him to do anything that involved physical labour. It was only when Sandy had lifted his t-shirt and found the lump in his abdomen that he believed him. Sandy had panicked and driven him straight to the hospital. The doctor had threatened to sedate him if he didn't calm down, as he hopped around by Seth's bedside while the doctor examined him. It wasn't until Kirsten had turned up – scared but calm – and taken his hand in hers that he had finally calmed down, and they had listened together to the doctor explain that Seth needed an operation, but that it was a simple procedure.

Sandy looked down now and saw that his hand was entwined with Kirsten's as she slept. Carefully, he untangled his hand from hers and slid out of the bed. He watched as Kirsten settled, wrapping her arm around his pillow, and he smiled at how easily replaceable he was. He left her sleeping as he went quietly downstairs. Seth and Ryan were still fast asleep on the sofabed, facing away from each other, an extra blanket spread over the both of them. Sandy went into the kitchen and started to make coffee, despite there being no milk. Black coffee was better than no coffee. He opened one of the cupboards in search of the coffee and stopped when he saw the shelves were practically empty, except for some tins of vegetables, dried pasta and a loaf of bread. He went to the refrigerator and stood in disbelief when he saw that it's contents were made up of several packets of ready-made meals and not much else.

Sophie Cohen was well known for her cooking. At Passover and Chanukah, visitors would flock to the house where she would lay out tables of home-cooked food. No wonder she had accepted his invitation to eat out last night, there wouldn't have been any food for them to eat anyway. It also explained her thin and pasty appearance.

Sandy closed the refrigerator and sighed heavily. He went back upstairs and started to dress, careful to be as quiet as possible so as not to disturb his still sleeping wife. It didn't work. Behind him, he heard her sigh slightly.

"Sandy?" Kirsten said groggily.

"Hey," Sandy said in a hushed whisper.

"Where are you going?"

"Just down to the shops to get some milk and some stuff for breakfast," Sandy said, going over to the bed and leaning over her slightly.

"Everything ok?" Kirsten asked.

"Yeah," Sandy lied. He would explain later, once she was fully awake. "Just go back to sleep."

"Hmm, ok."

Kirsten shut her eyes and Sandy waited until he heard her snore softly. Grabbing his coat, he crept back downstairs and out the front door. The sun was shining but the air was cold and Sandy shivered. He had become accustomed to the Californian weather and had forgotten that New York could be so bitterly cold first thing in the morning. It was quiet as he walked. A lot of the houses down the street were decorated on the outside and Sandy chuckled as he remembered Lindsey's house at Chrismukkah.

It seemed to Sandy that Chrismukkah was getting more eventful every year. Last year, they had settled the Heights lawsuit on the eve of Chrismukkah: that had been stressful enough on his family; this year, Caleb's secret affair had been exposed, leaving a path of devastation behind it. Kirsten now had a half-sister, Seth now had a new Aunt and Ryan was dating…well, Sandy couldn't even do that math.

Sandy found a small supermarket nearby and bought as many groceries as he could carry home. When he arrived back at the house, Seth and Ryan were awake and talking quietly. He made them jump as he came through the door.

"Dad? Where've you been?" Seth asked, curiously.

"To the shops," Sandy answered. "Did you sleep ok?"

Ryan nodded while Seth offered "yeah".

"Come on, I need you boys to get up and help me make breakfast," Sandy said.

They obeyed, removing themselves from their sleeping bags and following Sandy into the kitchen.

By the time Kirsten came downstairs, already dressed, there was fresh coffee in the pot and breakfast was being made.

"Mmm, smells good in here," she said, leaning over Ryan to smell the bacon that was sizzling in the frying pan.

Ryan smiled, amused by the way she always did that when he was cooking. Sandy greeted her with a kiss while Seth waved from his seat on top of the kitchen counter.

"Any sign of my mom upstairs?" Sandy asked.

"She's in the bathroom," Kirsten answered, sitting down at the table and starting to flick through the various tourist guides that she had brought downstairs. "So, Ryan, are you excited about seeing New York today?"

Ryan nodded and opened his mouth to answer, but he was cut off by Seth's laughter.

"Dude, do you have any idea what you've let yourself in for, going sightseeing with Mom? If you think the Nana is scary, then just wait. It's more organised than an army expedition. Ten-hundred-hours: the Statue of Liberty; twelve-hundred-hours: stop for lunch; thirteen-hundred-hours: Central Park."

"I'm not that bad," Kirsten protested.

"Just don't let her go near any of the shops," Sandy warned with a chuckle.

Kirsten rolled her eyes. "Just ignore them, Ryan. We're gonna have fun, I promise."

"What's going on?"

Suddenly, Sophie's voice interrupted them, her hard stare sweeping over them all before settling on the table full of groceries that someone had bought for her. Sandy shifted his weight from one foot to the other, aware of the unimpressed look she carried on her face.

"Just another morning of Cohen family teasing," Seth attempted to lighten the mood.

"I was going to cook breakfast for you all," Sophie started angrily. They were treating her like a child, like she was unable to look after herself.

"Oh, Ryan always makes breakfast at home. You should taste his blueberry pancakes, they're delicious," Kirsten said casually as she glanced up from her book. "Hey, did you know that the Empire State Building is 1454 feet tall?"

Sophie looked incredulously at Kirsten. _Who cared how tall the bloody __Empire__State__Building__ was?_

Sandy smothered a smile as he looked over at Kirsten, wondering if he should be worried that a lie could roll out of her mouth so easily.

"And that it took 410 days to build?" Kirsten continued, pretending to be oblivious to everyone's stares.

"Bacon's ready," Ryan announced.

Glad of the interruption, Sandy gestured for his mother to sit at the table. Sophie complied, watching them all suspiciously as they sat down around her, chatting amongst themselves. Sophie sighed inwardly. She knew they were worried about her; she knew they only wanted to help. But she wasn't used to needing help from anybody and admitting that was hard.

"So, what are your plans for the day?" she asked, trying to sound more cheery than before.

"Well, Kirsten is taking Ryan on a tour of New York, and I thought maybe you, me and Seth could spend the day together?" Sandy suggested.

"You drew the short straw for babysitting me, huh?" Sophie said dryly.

Sandy took a deep breath and felt Kirsten's calming hand on his thigh. "No. I just thought it would be nice if we could spend some time together," Sandy said slowly.

Sophie softened. "Well, I have to go into work later. I have a couple of kids that need foster homes. You can come with me, if you want?"

Sandy smiled. "I'd love to."

Even though his mother's work had kept her away from home a lot when he was growing up, Sandy loved to see her in action. The atmosphere relaxed as they ate breakfast and Sophie noticed the comfortable banter that passed between them. She didn't know her son's family very well – something Sophie knew she was partly to blame for – and it interested her to watch them together.

After breakfast, Sandy sent Seth and Ryan to get dressed, while Kirsten offered to help Sophie tidy the kitchen. She winced as she waited for more indignation from her mother-in-law, and was glad when the telephone rang. Sophie disappeared out of room and, together, Kirsten and Sandy cleared away the plates. Sandy paused, watching Kirsten wash the dishes. He crept up behind her, sliding his hands around her waist.

"You know, I could get used to this housewife routine. Tidying the house, cleaning the dishes…I find it very sexy."

Kirsten giggled as Sandy left a trail of light kisses on her neck, before resting his chin on her shoulder. Kirsten leant into him.

"Are you ok?" she asked him.

"I'm gonna get someone to come in and help her around the house," Sandy announced.

Kirsten spun around to face him, her eyebrows raised. "She's not going to like that."

"I know," Sandy said. "But I'm not going to give her the choice. It's like you said: if I don't ask, she can't say no."

"Oh, so you're blaming me?" Kirsten joked.

"Yeah," Sandy chuckled.

Kirsten wrapped her arms around his neck and Sandy felt soap suds trickling down his neck.

"Hey!"

Kirsten giggled and Sandy pulled her closer, leaning in to kiss her. Her laugh was enough to make him forget his worries for the moment. Their kiss became deeper and they forgot where they were, until the Nana's voice interrupted them.

"Sandy? Can you help me get my shoes from the back of the…" her voice trailed off as she walked into the kitchen.

Kirsten quickly untangled herself from Sandy's arms.

"Sure, ma," Sandy said, obediently following his mother out of the room and into the hallway.

"They're at the back of the cupboard," Sophie instructed. "The blue flat ones."

Sandy knelt down, aware of his mother's disapproving glare. He searched for the shoes, waiting for her to say something.

_One. Two. Three. Four…_

"Don't you think you're a little old to be caught with your wife like that? What if I had been Seth or Ryan?"

Sandy had to hide the amusement in his voice. "Well, if you were Seth, you would have groaned; if you were Ryan, you would have coughed very loudly so that we knew you were there."

Sophie continued to glare at the back of Sandy's head. It obviously wasn't the first time they had been caught. She watched as Sandy pulled his head out of the cupboard, bringing with him the pair of shoes she wanted. Sometimes, she just didn't understand her son; and that hurt.

* * *

Kirsten and Ryan had been sightseeing all morning. Seth had been right, Kirsten was a woman on a mission, trying to see as much as possible in the short time they had. They had already been to the United Nations headquarters, Central Park and the Empire State Building. They were now on a boat, heading towards Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Ryan was leaning against the side of the boat, grateful to take some of the weight off of his feet. Kirsten was beside him, reading from a tourist brochure. 

"The Statue of Liberty was given to America by France in 1885, recognising the friendship between the two countries. It was designed by the same guy who designed the Eiffel Tower. It had to be dismantled into 350 pieces to be shipped over here and took nearly a year to be put back together. It stands at 92.99 metres tall, from the ground to the tip of the torch. Wow – her right arm is 12.8 metres long."

Ryan smiled, amused. Kirsten had been reciting facts and figures all day. Kirsten continued to flip through the pages and Ryan returned his gaze to the water, watching New York Harbour get smaller and smaller. Kirsten looked up and saw him lost in thought.

"Am I boring you?" she asked apologetically. "Sandy and Seth always moan at me for reading these things."

Ryan smiled. "No, I kinda like it," Ryan placated her.

Kirsten studied him for a moment. He had always been older than his years, but she felt like the summer had aged him even more. Since he had returned home, he was more relaxed and more talkative than he had ever been, but he still kept the important things private. She closed the book she was reading and turned to face out to sea, leaning against the side of the boat next to him.

"So, how are you doing these days?" Kirsten asked cautiously.

"Pretty good," Ryan answered. "Between school and Seth, I keep pretty busy."

Kirsten nodded, laughing. "And everything is ok at school?"

"Yeah. The advanced classes are pretty tough but I'm enjoying them," Ryan answered.

"Good."

Kirsten paused. She knew when it came to Ryan, the more she pushed, the quieter he would become. Sandy was better at talking to him than she was; Kirsten had that natural mothering instinct about her which made her persevere.

"What about Teresa? Do you, uh…do you ever talk to her?"

Ryan fell silent, shifting uncomfortably under Kirsten stare.

"I'm sorry, I just…you don't talk about her or the baby. I mean, you haven't really since you've been home. I guess I just…I worry about you, you know?" Kirsten stumbled over her words, wondering if she shouldn't have started this conversation.

"I know."

She waited for Ryan to speak, but when he stayed silent, Kirsten encouraged him.

"Will you tell me what you're thinking? Please?"

Ryan paused for a moment before finally answering. "I guess I feel guilty," he admitted.

"Guilty about what?" Kirsten frowned.

"Guilty about everything. I feel guilty about getting Teresa pregnant in the first place, and then I feel guilty about feeling guilty. I feel guilty about what it did to your family: Seth running away, and you and Sandy arguing. I feel guilty about letting you guys down, after everything you did for me. I feel guilty because…because I screwed up _again_."

Kirsten waited until he had finished before she responded, listening to him speak – not just his words, but his tone. She heard the anger and frustration in his voice.

"Seth running away was _not_ your fault; me and Sandy will work things out; and you did _not_ let us down," Kirsten said.

"You guys were disappointed in me," Ryan stated.

Kirsten shook her head. "No," she denied. "We were never disappointed _in_ you, Ryan. We were proud of you, the way you stood by Teresa. I guess we were just disappointed _for_ you. You came to us and we promised to look after you; we wanted to give you a good start in life, one you deserve."

"You did," Ryan interrupted. "I mean, you do. You give me more than anyone ever has."

"But we couldn't stop it from happening," Kirsten countered back. "You say you feel guilty. Well, I guess I feel guilty too. I feel guilty that you had to go back to Chino; I feel guilty that you weren't happy and there wasn't anything I could do about it; I feel guilty because Seth thought that running away was his best option."

"But none of that was your fault," Ryan argued.

Kirsten smiled. "Exactly."

"But I shouldn't feel like this," Ryan said.

"Like what?" Kirsten asked.

"Glad to be home," Ryan said, ducking his head as he avoided her eye.

"Why not? I'm glad you're home; Sandy's glad you're home; Seth's glad you're home."

"Because of what had to happen for me to come home," Ryan said softly.

"Teresa losing the baby was an accident. Just because it meant that you could come back to us, doesn't mean you should feel guilty," Kirsten tried to justify, wondering if her words would have any effect on him. She considered her next question carefully before she asked him, "Did you love the baby?"

Ryan looked up, startled by the frankness of her question. "I…I don't know."

He fell silent, his brow furrowed as he tried to figure out how he felt. "I guess I felt _something_ for it. But I don't know if it was love. Besides, it wasn't even a baby. It was a…bump."

Kirsten smiled. "I loved Seth from the moment I knew he was inside of me. So did Sandy. He used to talk to my belly all the time, even in the middle of the supermarket."

"But we didn't even know if it was mine," Ryan said sadly.

"It doesn't matter, not if you loved it," Kirsten said. "You know what I've learned, Ryan – having you with us, and having Lindsey just around the corner and not knowing she even existed? It's taught me that biology, it isn't everything."

The boat pulled into the harbour at Liberty Island at that moment and their conversation was interrupted by the stream of passengers that filed off. Kirsten and Ryan fell into step behind them, following their gazes as everyone immediately looked above them at the giant statue that stood before them. Kirsten fell into the queue as Ryan hung back, mustering the courage to say what he wanted to say.

"Kirsten?"

Kirsten turned and looked at him.

"I think I did. Love the baby, I mean."

Kirsten smiled sadly at his admission, offering out her arm. Ryan slid under it and she tightened her grasp around his shoulders. She felt him lean into her and she dared to leave a kiss on his temple despite being surrounded by people. When he didn't pull away, she held onto him, offering her silent understanding.

"Um, Kirsten?"

"Yes, Ryan?" Kirsten asked softly, wondering what else he had to say.

"You're not really gonna make me go up there, are you?"

**

* * *

If it sounds unfinished, that's because it is! Next chapter will be Sandy/Seth and more cranky Nana, which will be soon hopefully! I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please review. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! I know I've been rubbish at updating this fic. Believe me, I've been working on it but I've had so much trouble writing Seth. I applaud anyone who can write him well, because I know I can't! I'm not totally happy with it, but it's the best I'm going to do and this chapter has been driving me (and others) insane! So I hope you like what I've written. :)**

**Thank you to Sunny for your help, encouragement and patience!**

* * *

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself young man?"

The fifteen-year-old boy shrank in his seat under Sophie Cohen's glare. Sandy watched, amused as the boy stuttered a reply.

"I…well, I…"

Sophie raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry," the boy said eventually.

"Well, of course you're sorry," Sophie said. "But are you sorry for what you did or sorry you got caught?"

The boy dropped his head, avoiding her eye.

"Well, you're lucky. I've spoken to the police and they're not going to bring any charges against you as long as you clear up the graffiti you drew. And your foster family are willing to give you a second chance," Sophie said.

The boy looked up, wide-eyed. "They are?"

Sophie softened slightly, nodding. "Yes, they are. I told them that you were a good kid really, and that they need to be patient – that you'll prove it to them yourself."

The boy's eyes shined gratefully at her. "Thank you."

Sophie allowed a small smile to pass her lips, gesturing her head towards the door. "Go on, get out of here. And I don't want to have this conversation with you again."

The boy nodded, getting up from his seat and disappearing out of the door as quickly as possible. Sophie bent over the table she was sat at, her hand scribbling notes on the boy's file. Sandy noticed her hand shaking as she held the pen. All day he had been noticing how weak she had become. Aware of his eyes on her, Sophie turned to look at her son.

"What?"

Sandy shrugged. "Nothing."

The day had been going well and he didn't want to ruin it by causing an argument. He knew his mother wouldn't be happy that he intended to employ someone to help her, but the more he saw, the more convinced he became that she needed it. Getting Sophie Cohen to accept help was likely to be an impossible task and one that Sandy was not looking forward to.

"What happened to Seth?" Sophie asked.

"I sent him to the shops to get some food for dinner," Sandy said.

Sophie stared angrily at him. "What did you do that for?"

Sandy sighed at her automatic defensiveness. "Because there isn't any food in the house, ma."

"Well, I forgot you were coming. I would have filled the cupboards otherwise," Sophie defended.

"Does that happen much, ma? Do you forget things a lot?" Sandy asked, concerned.

"What are you trying to say?" Sophie asked.

"Nothing," Sandy sighed, pausing. "It's just…you've got to start looking after yourself better."

"I _am_ looking after myself," Sophie argued.

Sandy felt his anger flaring up. "Then why do you look so thin and tired? Why is there no food in the house?"

"I told you, I forgot…"

"What about feeding yourself?" Sandy interrupted.

"Listen, Sandy, you've got no right to turn up and start interfering in my life," Sophie said. "I can look after myself, just like I have been doing for the past 35 years since your father walked out."

She stood up angrily, her head spinning as she moved too quickly. Her hands grasped at the edge of the table to steady herself.

"Ma?" Sandy was at her side quickly.

"I'm ok," Sophie assured him.

"Ma…" Sandy started to object.

"I'm _ok_," Sophie stressed again.

"No, you're not," Sandy argued back. "You need to rest. You need to let me help you."

"No, I don't," Sophie shook off his hand that held onto her arm. "I don't need you to do anything except mind your own business."

"I can't do that," Sandy said.

"Why not? You've been doing it for the past twenty years," Sophie spat at him.

Sandy sighed, frustrated with her stubbornness.

"Well, you're getting my help whether you want it or not," Sandy said, the stubborn streak running in the family. "I'm going to get someone to help you around the house."

"No you are not," Sophie yelled at him.

"Yes, I am," Sandy said firmly.

"Don't go throwing your money around me, Sandford Cohen. I don't need it; I don't want it," Sophie said.

"This isn't about the money, ma," Sandy said. "It's about you."

"Are you sure? Are you sure it's not about _you_?" Sophie asked.

Sandy blinked, taken aback at the accusation. The door opened and Seth walked in, grocery bags swinging by his side. He looked between his dad and the nana, immediately sensing that something was wrong.

"Should I go and come back later?" he asked.

"No. You stay. I've got to go and make a phone call," Sophie said.

She stalked out of the room. Seth looked towards his dad.

"Everything ok?"

"Not really, Seth," Sandy said despondently. "The nana is the most stubborn woman I've ever known. She won't let me help her."

"Well, I'm sure if anyone can find a way to help her, it'll be you," Seth said. "I mean, look at Ryan. You helped him. You changed his life."

Sandy smiled, touched by the faith that Seth held in him. "I hope so."

"And, you know, I've got your back," Seth said, holding his hand up to be slapped. Sandy complied, their palms meeting.

"Good to know."

Sandy took one of the bags from Seth, lightening his load. "Come on, let's get home and start cooking before your mother does."

* * *

With the Nana sleeping comfortably in the chair, Sandy and Seth worked in sync as they washed and chopped the vegetables for dinner.

"You wanna grill the steaks?" Sandy asked, passing Seth the slabs of meat that were piled on a plate. "I haven't experienced your new culinary skills yet."

"Well, I'm not sure I can work with such limited equipment," Seth teased, gesturing towards the small stove that was in the kitchen.

"I'm sure you'll cope," Sandy said sardonically, pushing Seth's shoulder towards the grill.

Seth faked an expression of pain as he pretended to stumble across the kitchen. Sandy shot him an unsympathetic look, his top lip curled in amusement.

"You think mom and Ryan will be home soon?" Seth asked as he worked on marinating the steaks.

"Bored of my company already?" Sandy joked.

"No, just hungry," Seth answered honestly.

Sandy chuckled. He checked his watch. "I expect they'll be home soon. I'm sure your mom has worn Ryan out by now."

"Do you think she's ok? Mom, I mean – you know, about grandpa?"

Sandy noted the concern in his son's voice as he echoed his own thoughts.

"I've never seen her lose it like that before," Seth continued. "I never thought I'd see her throwing a vase at grandpa's head."

"I know, son. She's been having a hard time recently," Sandy told him, his voice low.

"You're worried about her?" Seth picked up on his father's tone.

Sandy sighed. Honestly, yes he was worried about her – she refused to talk about it; he had caught her on several occasions spilling over old photo albums, looking for any hint of a crack in her parent's once perfect marriage; he had heard her crying at night, the tears soaking into her pillow as she mourned her mother all over again. Caleb's secret had hit her harder than he had expected and Sandy felt guilty, not for keeping the secret he was bound by legal custom to keep, but for the way the secret had been exposed.

"Dad?" Seth interrupted his wandering thoughts.

"She'll be alright, Seth, she just needs some time," Sandy tried to reassure his son, as well as himself. "We just have to do everything we can to make life easier for her for a while."

Seth nodded and fell unusually quiet. Sandy studied his son for a moment, tracing the frown lines that crinkled his forehead. He rarely saw his son so serious and knew that his mind must be plagued with something important as his ramblings stopped.

"You ok, kid?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about the summer; you know, me being gone and mom being so upset," Seth said.

"We were both upset," Sandy commented.

"I know," Seth said quietly. "And I'm sorry."

"I know. I'm sorry too," Sandy said.

Seth looked up, surprised at his father's apology. "You're sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry that you were so unhappy that you felt like you had to run away," Sandy said. He hesitated for a moment, struggling against his growing curiosity, which eventually won. "What happened, son? I thought you and me were a team? And suddenly you left, without a word; you just left a note."

"I know," Seth sighed, frustrated with his father's question. _Why didn't they understand?_

"Talk to me, Seth," Sandy urged him. "Why did you run away? Was it really that bad at home before Ryan came?"

"Yes," Seth was quick to reply. He backtracked when he saw the look on his father's face. "No. I don't know."

Sandy stopped peeling the potato that was in his hand and looked at him, and Seth realised he owed his dad an explanation.

"It wasn't you and it wasn't mom. It's just that…before Ryan, life sucked. I mean, really, it sucked. As much as I said I didn't want to be part of the Newport world, I wanted to be part of _something_. And when Ryan came along, I was part of something," Seth started to explain. "I'm not saying Ryan made everything better. But after he turned up, life changed – I had friends and a girlfriend and a life; and when he left, I was scared I was going to lose that. I thought it was going to go back to the way it was before and I couldn't stand that thought."

"So you thought running away would help?"

"I don't know. I just knew that I didn't want to hang around and watch my life fall apart," Seth said.

"But you don't know that would have happened," Sandy argued.

"But I didn't know it _wouldn't_ happen," Seth argued back.

"And what about me and your mom? Did you ever think about how we felt?" Sandy pushed him for answers.

Seth sighed. He knew his reasons for running away had been purely selfish. He had blamed his parents for Ryan leaving as a way of defending his actions, knowing it was unfair. He was silent.

Sandy knew the answer was no and it hurt him. He had always thought that he and Seth were a pair; that they could rely on one another to survive life in the Newport Beach bubble they lived in. That belief had been shattered when Seth had chosen to run away instead of confide in him. He had tried so hard to give Seth a happy life. He had seen the difference in the six year old when they had moved to Newport from Berkeley. The other kids just didn't understand his son. But no matter how hard Sandy had tried, he couldn't make life better for Seth in Newport, and deep down he understood Seth's reasons for leaving. He had seen the change himself once Ryan had come along, and he didn't blame Seth for not wanting to see his life fall apart.

"What about Summer?" he asked eventually.

"We're friends," Seth shrugged despondently. "That's all we're ever going to be."

Seth couldn't help but wonder what might have happened if he had never left; if he had stayed and faced life in Newport without Ryan. There would have been no more fantastic four; there would have been only three of them. Would Summer have stuck around? Would he have still hung out with Marissa? It was a question that was never going to be answered. He had his regrets, of course, but spending the summer in Portland with Luke and his dad had impacted him in a way he hadn't realised until he had come home. That little piece of independence that he had experienced had changed him a lot and he wouldn't trade that.

But he could not deny that he had missed home. He had missed Ryan and Summer; he had missed his parents. Luke had turned out to be a good friend, but it wasn't the same. If he was honest, he was glad of the excuse to come home. He had thought that he could slip back into his old life, but he was wrong. It wasn't the same; they couldn't get back to the way they were. Summer had been angry, his parents had been upset and Ryan had changed. Even now, he felt like they were all still trying to piece themselves back together again.

"Promise me you'll always talk to me if things get bad," Sandy said solemnly.

Seth lifted his hand in a Scout's honour, nodding his head. "I promise."

Sandy reached across and ruffled his hair.

"Hey, watch the Jew-fro," Seth said, ducking away from his hand.

"You mean, that's a hairstyle?" Sandy joked.

"Yeah. One I inherited from you," Seth countered back.

Sandy laughed, turning his head as he heard the front door open and familiar voices float through the house. Kirsten and Ryan came through the door, both laughing as they shared a joke.

"Hey!" Kirsten smiled as they came into the kitchen. She accepted Sandy's kiss, leaning against him wearily as Ryan collapsed into a chair at the kitchen table, breathing out a loud sigh of relief at taking the weight off his feet.

"How was your day?" Sandy asked, pulling Kirsten closer to him.

"Great," Ryan said, his enthusiasm not matching his exhausted appearance as he leant back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"_Really_ great," Kirsten enthused. "I think we successfully managed a whistle-stop tour of New York today. We saw the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler Building…"

"All those heights?" Sandy interrupted, looking at Ryan. Ryan shot him one of his trademark looks.

Kirsten smiled sympathetically at Ryan. "Well, I said we _saw_ them; I didn't say we went _up_ them."

Seth laughed. "Dude, you wimp."

Ryan retaliated by picking up an apple from the table and throwing it across the kitchen at him. Seth cowered away from it, bringing his arms up to his face to protect himself. The apple crashed against the wall, the thud causing the Nana to stir slightly in her chair and the noise distracting them all.

"So, how was your day?" Kirsten asked softly.

Sandy shrugged. Kirsten wrapped her arms around Sandy's waist, kissing his cheek lightly. From his chair, Ryan's stomach growled with hunger. Sandy was glad for the distraction.

"Hungry?"

"Starving," Ryan admitted.

"Me too," Seth said.

"Me three," Kirsten said.

"Well, Seth and I have already started dinner," Sandy said, breaking away from Kirsten and gesturing towards the half-peeled vegetables on the kitchen counter.

"Yep, I have the grill totally under control," Seth said.

"And the vegetables are almost done," Sandy said. "Ryan, wanna be in charge of the sauce?"

Ryan nodded, lifting himself onto his feet. "Sure."

Kirsten folded her arms. "And me?"

The three men stared dumbly at her for a moment. Kirsten arched her eyebrows, amused.

"You know, you could…uh," Sandy stumbled over his words. "You could…"

"Set the table?"

"Fix the drinks?"

Seth and Ryan offered Sandy their support as Kirsten glared at them, her mouth twitching as she hid a smile. She shook her head.

"You know, that's fine," she pouted playfully. "If you're going to exclude me from doing a simple task to help make dinner, then I'm going to take your presents back to the store."

She watched as Sandy and Seth lit up with identical looks of delight.

"Presents?"

"You bought us presents?"

"Maybe."

Sandy slid across the kitchen towards her, wrapping his arms around her and nudging his nose against hers. "You can help me peel the carrots if you want."

"Oh please, you're gonna put me off my dinner," Seth groaned. "Just give us the presents and we'll let you help."

Kirsten laughed and reached behind her for a bag. For Seth, she pulled out a collection of comic books and he squealed in delight, forgetting all about the steaks that he was supposed to be grilling. For Sandy, she pulled out a Yankees jersey and a baseball cap, which she put on his head herself. She tucked her head underneath the flap and kissed his lips.

"Seriously, guys, might vomit," Seth said without lifting his eyes from the comic book he was now engrossed in.

Ryan stole it from his hands, hitting him around the head with it.

"Ow!"

"Hey!" Kirsten reprimanded playfully.

"What's all the commotion about?" the Nana's voice interrupted them all.

They all turned to look at her.

"Nothing," Sandy answered for them. "We're just making dinner."

Sophie looked around at the kitchen and, seemingly satisfied with his answer, moved past him and picked up the potato peeler.

"It's ok, Nana, we got it," Seth offered.

Sophie glared at him and Seth backed down. They all knew better than to argue with the Nana. They started on their own tasks, with Kirsten under instructions to stay away. Sandy would catch her eye occasionally and she would smile sympathetically, aware of the tension that hung between him and his mother.

Dinner was a formal affair. The conversations were forced and even Seth's ramblings couldn't prevent an uncomfortable silence from falling every now and again. Sandy was grateful when all the plates were empty and the silence was filled with the clattering of dishes as they tidied the kitchen.

"How about a movie tonight?" Kirsten suggested, conscious that the Nana was too tired to go out and not wanting to spend the rest of the evening sat around the house trying to make conversation.

"Depends who picks the movie," Seth answered.

"Not you," Kirsten shot back quickly. "I've had enough of comic book movies this Chrismukkah."

The day after Chrismukkah, Seth had forced them to watch both Spiderman movies back-to-back followed by the first X-Men movie, before they had managed to make their excuses to go to bed. As much as she had appreciated the gesture, she didn't think she could take any more.

"I'll pick," Sandy volunteered, disappearing into the living room.

Seth leant over towards Ryan. "Ten bucks says he chooses _'To Kill A Mockingbird'_."

"How do you know?" Ryan asked, amused.

"Because he always chooses _'To Kill A Mockingbird'_," Sophie interjected.

Sure enough, as the rest of the family followed Sandy into the living room, they saw the familiar blue box lying on the floor next to him as he put the video into the player. Seth shot Ryan an _'I told you so'_ look and Ryan laughed.

"You know, Nana, you really should think about joining the twenty-first century and getting a DVD player," Seth said.

Sophie scoffed at the idea. "I barely have time to use that thing, now what would I do with a DVD player?"

"Ok guys, settle down," Sandy instructed them.

Seth and Ryan took the sofa, collapsing at either end; the Nana sat back down in her chair; and Kirsten curled up in the only spare chair, dropping a cushion onto the floor for Sandy to sit on. He sat on the floor in front of her and she dropped her hand so that it hung around his neck. As the familiar montage began, they all fell silent.

Ryan was the first to fall asleep, exhausted after his day of sightseeing around New York. The Nana followed soon after and Sandy's eyes would often flicker across the room to watch her, saddened by the shadow of the woman his mother had become. Seth fell asleep midway through the movie, his head slumping down on the side of the sofa. Sandy would have believed that Kirsten had fallen asleep too, but for the occasional movement – her hand running through his hair or her lips softly touching his head.

When the film ended, she was the first one to speak.

"How many times have we seen this movie now?"

"Not enough," Sandy said, tipping his head backwards to look up at her.

"You ok?" Kirsten questioned.

When he didn't answer she lowered her lips to his, her fingers stroking his neck over the bump of his Adam's apple.

"We should go get some sleep," Kirsten said.

Sandy nodded and lifted himself to his feet, pulling Kirsten up behind him. The Nana stirred in her chair.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Late. We're just heading to bed," Sandy said. "What shall we do about the boys?"

Kirsten tilted her head to one side. "I guess we wake them."

"Maybe we should just leave them," Sandy suggested.

"We can't, they'll never sleep properly like that," Kirsten said.

She moved closer to them, a smile forming as she studied them for a moment. She reached down to Seth, rubbing his arm lightly.

"Seth, sweetie?"

Seth woke with a start, his legs kicking out and hitting Ryan. Ryan jumped, his arm shooting towards Seth and thumping him hard. They both cried out in surprise. Kirsten took a step back, laughing.

"Come on, guys, we need to pull the bed out," Kirsten said. She held out her hands and they each took one, accepting as she pulled them to their feet.

"It's ok, we can do it," Ryan objected as Kirsten started to unfold the sofabed.

Kirsten looked sceptical, her eyes glancing towards Seth who was stood watching her efforts.

"Honestly, we got it," Ryan interrupted her expression.

"Ok. Sleep well, boys," Kirsten said. She couldn't help but lean forward and leave a kiss on Ryan's cheek. She had felt closer to him today than she ever had and she had been happy when he had opened up to her earlier about Teresa and the baby. She repeated her action with Seth, surprised that he accepted her act of affection so easily.

"Goodnight kids," Sandy bid farewell too, letting Kirsten lead him out of the room with a backwards glance towards his mom.

Sophie stood in the corner of the room, watching the two boys. Seth was almost as much of a stranger to her as Ryan was, she realised. He was the perfect mix of his mom and dad – tall and slight, with messy dark hair and curious eyes; he had inherited his father's quick wit and his mother's artistic passion. But she didn't really know him. She didn't know how he spent his weekends; she didn't know the book he was reading or the last film he had seen; she didn't even know how he took his coffee.

"You ok, Nana?" Seth asked, concerned as she stood staring at them.

"I'm fine, darling, just tired," Sophie answered. "You boys get some sleep, now."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The boys watched as she carried her frail body out of the door. They didn't speak as they started to unfold the bed and no words were spoken as they laid out their sleeping bags. Eventually, Seth broke the silence.

"You alright, dude? You've been quiet all night. Not that that's unusual," Seth said.

"Yeah, I'm ok," Ryan said.

Seth glanced sideways towards him, a disbelieving look on his face. Ryan saw it.

"Your mom was asking me today about Teresa and the baby. I guess I've just been thinking about them a lot," Ryan explained.

Seth nodded, understanding his reluctance to talk again. "I guess it's been a day for a little PDP."

Ryan smirked at Seth's use of initials. "Your dad too?"

"Yep. About the summer and why I skipped town," Seth sighed. "I guess they decided on the one-on-one approach, instead of team parenting," he continued.

"You ok about it?" Ryan asked.

Seth shrugged. He knew his dad had not been happy with the answers he had heard, but Seth had simply been honest. Ryan didn't push him further. If Seth wanted to talk, he would.

They stood back and surveyed the bed.

"You take the left, I take the right?" Seth said.

Ryan nodded in agreement. "As long as you don't steal the blanket again."

"I did not!" Seth argued. "Summer always said I was generous with the bed sheets."

"Too much information," Ryan grimaced, throwing a pillow at Seth. Seth caught it and threw it back, his aim missing Ryan and hitting a lamp, which fell to the floor. The sound rebounded around the room and Seth tensed up as if waiting for something.

Suddenly there was a bang on the ceiling above them and the Nana's shrill voice rung out. "Stop making a noise and go to bed!"

They complied obediently. The Nana had spoken.


	4. Chapter 4

**I know, I suck at updating this fic. I'm sorry! Thank you for all the reviews you left for the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. It was supposed to contain more than it does, but as usual I rambled and it was getting too long.**

**Thank you to Sunny for your help and guidance.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the new year. I'm hoping to finish this story in 2006! **

* * *

Sandy was the first to wake again. He looked down at Kirsten, who was curled up tightly against him, her nose nudged between his arm and the pillow. He lifted his arm, slipping it around her shoulders and pulling her closer. It had the desired effect as her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at him for a moment as her eyes slowly focussed and she moaned as a shiver ran down her spine.

"Your mom needs to sort out her heating," she murmured.

She wrapped her arm across his middle, hugging the warmth from his body. She looked up, seeing that he hadn't slept well again.

"Still thinking about yesterday?" Kirsten asked.

Sandy let out an audible sigh. "I don't think I handled it very well," he concluded.

"Sandy, no matter how you talked to her about it, she was always going to have the same reaction," Kirsten told him. "The only thing you can do now is not give up."

"I won't," Sandy said resolutely.

"I know," Kirsten smiled. "It's not in your nature. It's why I love you."

Sandy smiled, comforted by her words. He tightened his hold of her, lifting her up so that she lay across his body. "You know, I can think of a way to get your warm."

Kirsten read his thoughts. "In your mom's spare bedroom?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, we'll just have to make sure we're quiet," Sandy grinned, his eyes twinkling.

Kirsten giggled, dropping her head and embracing him in a deep kiss. She pulled away when she heard the clattering of pans downstairs.

"Come on, we should get up. It sounds like the boys are awake already."

Showered and dressed, they appeared downstairs thirty minutes later. The Nana was already settled at the kitchen table, nursing a mug of coffee in her hands. She looked better than she had the day before, a little more colour in her cheeks and her eyes brighter.

"Good morning," she greeted them cheerfully.

Kirsten frowned and Sandy's mouth hung open, suspicious of her good mood.

"Morning ma," Sandy said, eyeing her carefully.

"Oh, hey, it's snowing!" Kirsten exclaimed, distracted by the bright glare from outside. She was a true child of California and wasn't used to seeing the world covered in white snowflakes.

"The boys are outside making a snowman," Sophie told them.

Sandy chuckled. It had been years since he had made a snowman. "Maybe we should go outside and join them."

As he spoke, a clattering noise sounded from outside, like garbage cans being knocked over. Seth's voice cried out.

"Mom! Dad! Quick, Ryan's hurt!"

They heard the panic in their son's voice and ran out the house quickly, not concerned about the freezing weather and only worried about Ryan – to be met with flying snowballs that disintegrated against their bodies. Through the flurry of white, they heard Seth and Ryan laughing.

"Fooled you!" Seth said smugly.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that," Sandy cried, gathering up a handful of snow and flinging it towards his son.

Seth ran away from his father, laughing and kicking the snow back at him. Ryan stood, laughing at the scene, unaware of Kirsten joining in the fun until a snowball hit his shoulder. She grinned triumphantly at him, pausing for a moment until he moved suddenly. She He H

squealed, moving backwards as Ryan approached her slowly, his hands full of snow.

"Don't you dare!" Kirsten warned.

Ryan smiled mischievously and Kirsten cowered under her arms. The snow made her shiver as it hit her head, slipping down the back of her neck.

Sandy, meanwhile, was now running away from Seth, who had turned tricks on him and was carrying a huge snowball in his hands. He grabbed hold of Ryan, putting him between himself and Seth.

"Now what are you going to do, huh?" Sandy's eyes twinkled as Ryan struggled to get out of his grasp.

Seth stopped, surveying the scene. He knew there was no way to get his father without getting Ryan too. He looked towards his mom, who was stood to his right holding a snowball, nodded resolutely and turned back towards Sandy and Ryan. He shrugged apologetically at Ryan before lifting his arm and throwing the snowball towards them. Kirsten threw hers simultaneously, and Sandy and Ryan disappeared under an explosion of snow.

"I can't believe it! Turned on by my own wife!" Sandy exclaimed.

"I'm gonna get you for that!" Ryan cried.

Suddenly regretting his decision, Seth turned and ran away from Ryan as he chased him across the yard. Kirsten stood, cautiously watching Sandy – waiting. Sandy started towards her and Kirsten started to giggle.

"Sandy – don't!"

He grabbed her waist, picking her up off the floor and threatening to drop her into the snow.

"Sandy!" Kirsten cried.

"What's it worth?" Sandy grinned.

Kirsten raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Well…"

Her suggestions were interrupted by cries of terror from Seth, who was cornered by Ryan. "Dad!"

Sandy looked across at him. "You think I'm going to help you after what you just did?"

"Mom! Please?"

"I'm kinda caught up right now Seth," Kirsten rolled her eyes, trying to wriggle out of Sandy's grasp. He had lowered her so that her feet touched the floor, but his arms were still holding her tightly.

Ryan laughed, burying Seth in the snow.

Sophie was stood in the doorway of the house, watching the scene with interest as the four of them continued to fight against each other in the snow. It fascinated her to see the way they interacted with each other – the smiles and laughter; the jokes and teasing. She saw the way they were happy in each other's company; she saw the way they were so relaxed as they chased each other around the garden.

She watched her son carefully. She saw the tender moments between him and Kirsten – the shared smiles and gentle touches; she saw the way he was so playful with his sons, noticing how there was no difference between the way he treated Seth and Ryan. If anything, he treated Seth with more care – he was the more delicate, the more breakable.

Watching them together, she realised that Sandy had found for himself what she had always wished for him – a family unit. One full of love and trust and fun. She wished she had been able to provide him with that; instead he had left home at 16 without looking back. She wished she could have given him a happier home, one that he would have missed all these years.

Sophie moved away from the door when she saw them grow tired of the snow and they all came into the house, bringing snow and dirt with them. She rolled her eyes at them.

"Don't go messing up my kitchen floor," she scolded.

They stopped in the door, taking off their shoes obediently. Sandy offered a lopsided grin as he shook his hair. Kirsten hit him playfully as he covered them all with droplets of water.

"Dad!" Seth groaned, moving himself so that he was protected by Ryan.

"So now you've all got yourselves so cold and dirty, do you want coffee?" Sophie offered.

She was greeted with "yes please" from all of them, the banter continuing until a cell phone interrupted them.

Kirsten reached for her bag, her hand searching its contents for her phone.

"Maybe it's Santa calling to say he got the wrong house and he's taking away all your presents," Seth teased.

Kirsten laughed, pulling her phone out of the bag. Her smile turned to a frown as she saw her father's number flashing at her. She hit the red button, dropping her phone onto the kitchen counter.

"Who was it?" Sandy asked.

"No-one," Kirsten dismissed. "Where's that coffee?"

The phone started to ring again and Kirsten sighed. She ended the call, turning the phone off and hiding it back in her bag. She didn't look up, aware of the curious glares that were coming from her family.

"Mom?" Seth's voice was concerned.

Before she could answer, Sandy's cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and saw Caleb's number, suddenly understanding why Kirsten had avoided the call. He hit the red button and moved towards her, settling a comforting hand on her back. Seth's phone was the next to ring and Kirsten shook her head, irritated by her father's perseverance.

"It's ok," Sandy soothed.

Kirsten shrugged off his hand. "I'm gonna go get changed, I'm wet from the snow."

She left the kitchen quickly. Sandy glanced towards Seth and Ryan, who were looking worried. He offered them an encouraging smile before following her upstairs.

"Does someone want to tell me what all that was about?" the Nana asked, baffled about what had just happened in front of her.

Sandy found Kirsten sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall. Her face was drawn and sad. She glanced over her shoulder as she heard Sandy come into the bedroom and she started to pull at her socks.

"You think we should threaten to stop the boys' allowances for that trick?" she joked.

"Honey…"

"Don't," Kirsten stopped him.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Sandy asked, frustrated by her silence.

"Because…I don't want to think about it," Kirsten answered, standing up and facing him. "I don't want to think about my dad's sick affair with that woman, or the dirty secret he's been hiding for the past 16 years. I don't want to think about the lies he told my mom."

Sandy moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tight against his body. She settled in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I just don't want to think about it, Sandy," she sighed.

Sandy rubbed her back. "It's ok," he soothed.

"No, it's not," Kirsten frowned, looking up at him. "This trip is supposed to be about you and your mom, not me and my dad. He's already ruined Chrismukkah."

Sandy cupped her face. "Just because we've left the state, doesn't mean you can't be upset," he said, kissing her forehead. "How about tonight, you and me go out? I'll take you out to Broadway and we'll catch a show, just the two of us."

"Is that a treat for me or you?" Kirsten teased.

Sandy faked a hurt expression. "I'm offended by that," he laughed.

Kirsten smiled. "We came here to see your mom. We're leaving tomorrow night and I want you to spend as much time with her as possible."

"I know that. We had yesterday, and there's today and most of tomorrow. I just keep causing arguments anyway. And it'd be good for the boys to spend some time with her," Sandy said.

"Those sound like excuses to me," Kirsten said.

Sandy hung his head.

"Sandy, you've got to keep trying," Kirsten urged him. "If anyone knows how to get past the Cohen stubborn streak, it's you."

"How did this conversation become about me?" Sandy asked.

Kirsten smiled gently, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "You'll figure it out."

Sandy returned the embrace. "I'm still taking you out tonight."

Kirsten laughed. She was secretly pleased that she would be able to spend some time alone with her husband. She nodded, agreeing.

"I really am going to change my clothes," Kirsten said.

Sandy kissed her nose and Kirsten scrunched it up, giggling and pushing him away playfully.

Sandy left her, going back downstairs where his mom, Seth and Ryan were sat around the kitchen table with mugs of coffee in their hands.

"Everything ok?" Seth asked.

Sandy nodded. "Yeah, it's fine," he assured them. He gestured towards the coffee. "Have you got one of those for me?"

Ryan lifted a mug towards him and Sandy took it gratefully.

"I hear Caleb has been up to no good, as usual," Sophie commented.

Sandy glared at the boys and Seth shrugged hopelessly. His dad should understand how easy it was for the Nana to get information from you.

"You know, ma, we didn't come all this way to talk about Caleb," Sandy dismissed.

"Huh, I always knew he was a…"

"Ma, we're not talking about this," Sandy interrupted. He was well aware of what his mother thought of Caleb Nichol. He had similar feelings, despite the man being his father-in-law.

Sophie raised her eyebrows sceptically, but she remained silent.

"So, what are we doing today?" Ryan asked, changing the subject.

"Looks like we're going to be snowed it," Sandy said.

Ryan's face dropped in disappointment, while Seth looked surprised. Sophie glared at her son, aware of what he was doing.

"But dad…why?" Seth asked.

"Why what?" Kirsten asked as she came into the kitchen.

"Dad says we're not going out today because of the snow," Seth whined.

Kirsten shared his look of surprise, aware of the atmosphere in the small kitchen and looked at Sandy. Although she wasn't sure of his reasons, his eyes told her that this was the decision he had made. He definitely had that Cohen stubborn streak in him.

"Your dad's right, there's too much snow," Kirsten backed him up.

Seth opened his mouth to argue, but he was silenced by a glare from his mom. He closed it again. Ryan saw it too.

"Sandy Cohen, don't you dare," the Nana warned, her voice angry. "You came here to enjoy yourselves. I won't have you sitting around here all day, being bored, because you think you can't take me out in this weather."

Sandy held his ground against his mother.

"Ma, it's wet and icy out there. You could slip," Sandy tried to justify.

"And so could you, or Kirsten, or one of the boys. But I don't see you worrying about them," Sophie returned, fighting his stubbornness with her own.

"Well they're not _sick_. You are!" Sandy snapped. And then something happened that Sandy had never seen.

Her eyes filled with tears.

Sophie stood from her seat, her body shaking with rage and left the kitchen. Sandy dropped his head, kicking himself for his words. Kirsten placed a reassuring hand on his shoulders, but the room was silent.

Upstairs, Sophie sat in the rocking chair in the corner of her bedroom, staring out of the window. She tried to steady her breathing. She was angry: angry because Sandy was right, and she hated it. She hated being sick; she hated being constantly tired; she hated not being able to do everything she used to do.

Her head pounded and she reached for the tablets she kept in her cabinet. She swallowed one, tipping her head back and feeling it hit the back of her throat and slide down into her body. As she sat upright again, she saw a tall figure in the doorway. She sighed. She didn't invite him in but she didn't stop him as he entered her room, sitting on the bed.

"Are you going to start on me too now?" she asked.

Seth shook his head. "No. I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

Sophie softened slightly, seeing the distress in her grandson's face.

"I'm ok. I just don't like people fussing around me," Sophie said.

"I get that," Seth said. "But why won't you let us help you? I mean, we're your family."

Sophie smiled sadly. "Exactly. It's because you're my family that I hate all this."

"But if I was sick, wouldn't you want to help me?" Seth said.

"Of course," Sophie answered.

"So why is it so hard to understand that we want to help you?" Seth asked.

"It's not hard to understand, sweetheart. It's just hard to accept," Sophie admitted.

Seth nodded, understanding.

"I'm sorry, Sethela," Sophie stroked his face lightly. "I wanted this visit to be fun for you. It doesn't feel like anyone is having a good time."

"No, we are," Seth forced a smile, knowing that the Nana could probably see through it. He held out his hand. "If you come back downstairs, we'll show you how we really have fun. Dad's bound to want to play charades and mom will want to beat everyone at monopoly."

Sophie laughed at his wit and lopsided grin, ruffling his curls. She took his hand and he helped her up.

"You guys don't stand a chance against me in monopoly, by the way," Sophie commented as she followed him downstairs.

"Yeah? You v. my mom? That should make for an interesting afternoon."


	5. Chapter 5

**I suck at updating this fic, I know. You don't have to tell me. For some reason, I have the hardest time writing it. If you're still reading, thanks - I appreciate it!**

**Extra thanks to Sunny who, as always, has helped me with the chapter - especially the Ryan/Nana scene at the end.**

* * *

An apology came rushing from Sandy's mouth as soon as Sophie entered the kitchen. She paused at first, studying the wrinkles of concern that circled his eyes and the way his mouth dropped at the corners, seeing the stress that she was putting on her son. She accepted the apology, squeezing his arm gently. Sandy caught her hand and returned the gesture, and they shared a smile. It was these rare moments of affection that filled Sandy with hope that their relationship wasn't completely unsalvageable.

The day was spent playing games and Sophie found that she enjoyed herself. Her house was filled with jokes and laughter, dissolving any awkwardness that once existed. As they played, Sophie started to learn more about her family.

In Sandy, Sophie caught a glimpse of the man he had become. He was warm, funny and kind. She saw the others look to him for guidance, support and encouragement. He was a natural father, a loving husband, a loyal son. He held his family together, so very different from herself, who had let hers fall apart.

Kirsten had a competitive streak that Sophie guessed she had inherited from her father. Despite her feelings towards Kirsten's family, Sophie conceded that Kirsten was different. She was strong and resilient, like her father, but she was also loving and caring; a calming force amongst the vibrant characters in her family.

Seth had a quick wit that entertained and amused everyone. If there was a joke to be made, he would be the first to make it. But Sophie saw a different side to him – a gentle and compassionate side; one that had shown itself in the summer when he had found out about her cancer, and one that had comforted her earlier that day.

Ryan was the placid one, quiet and unassuming; but she could see that his mind was sharp. He reminded her of the kids that she saw every day – the ones that were smart and had potential, but were never given the opportunity to show what they could do. He seemed to fit in this mismatched family.

By the time the evening came, Sophie was almost disappointed that the games were over. _Almost._ As Sandy and Kirsten prepared to go out, she found herself alone with Seth and Ryan.

"So, boys, what would you like to do this evening?" Sophie asked.

"Are you sure you don't wanna rest, Nana?" Seth asked. He had obviously been prepped by Sandy not to wear her out.

"My dear Sethela, _if_ and _when_ I am tired, I'll tell you, ok?" Sophie scolded gently.

Seth nodded obediently.

"I think I'm all gamed out," Sophie continued. "What would you normally do to fill an evening?"

"I don't know," Seth shrugged. "Watch a movie, play video games, hang out at the diner."

"Well, how about the three of us go out for dinner? It's been years since I ate a burger," Sophie suggested.

Ryan looked unsure, trying to catch Seth's attention, who was looking enthusiastic. _Sandy would not like this idea_. Sophie saw it and understood it. She leant forwards towards him.

"What Sandy doesn't know can't hurt him," she said quietly.

Before Ryan could object, Sandy and Kirsten came into the room.

"All ready to leave?" Sophie asked innocently, straightening up.

"Yeah. Will you guys be ok?" Sandy asked, directing the question towards Seth and Ryan.

Seth saw Ryan about to stumble over a lie and interjected – the more natural liar.

"Yeah, we'll be fine," he answered his father's question. "We're just gonna...hang out."

_Well, it wasn't a** lie**._

"You kids enjoy yourselves," Sophie said casually.

Sandy hesitated and Kirsten tugged on his hand, willing him to leave. "They'll be fine, Sandy. Come on, we'll be late for our table reservation."

Sandy nodded. "Have fun. See you later."

As Sandy and Kirsten left, Sophie lifted herself from her seat. "I'm going to get changed. I don't want to embarrass you boys when we're out," she teased with a wink.

"Seth, do you really think this is a good idea?" Ryan questioned once Sophie had left the room.

"Why not? You heard her, Ryan, she'll tell us if she's tired," Seth dismissed.

"But your dad…"

"You saw how she reacted to my dad's concern earlier," Seth interrupted. "Look, we're just gonna go out for dinner and then we'll come home. What can happen?"

* * *

Kirsten's hand was firmly wrapped up in Sandy's as they left the theatre and she leaned into him as they battled through the crowds to reach the open air. She could hear Sandy softly humming the show tunes they had just heard, his chest grumbling. She wrapped her other arm across her body, slipping her hand around Sandy's arm. She dropped her head onto his shoulder. Sandy bent down and kissed the top of her hair.

"Thank you for taking me out tonight," Kirsten murmured.

Sandy smiled. "I was going to say the same thing."

Kirsten lifted her head and smiled back at him, raising her lips to his as he kissed her.

Sandy hailed down a taxicab easily, still at ease in the big city after so many years away.

"You know what? I don't feel like going home just yet," Sandy said as they settled into the back seat.

Kirsten looked towards him. "What did you have in mind?"

Sandy smiled, before leaning forwards towards the driver. "Can you take us to the Rockefeller Centre please?"

Kirsten raised her eyebrows and Sandy simply smiled. She leaned back, Sandy's arm curled around her shoulders and she rested her hand on his thigh. Sandy pressed his lips against her hair, feeling more relaxed than he had since they had arrived in New York. It was busy when they arrived. Christmas was a time when the tourists flocked and the ice rink was full of skaters. Sandy grabbed Kirsten's hand tightly so that he didn't lose hold of her. He led her through the crowds and into a small coffee shop that overlooked the ice rink. The aroma of rich coffee filled their nostrils and Sandy inhaled deeply. It was a smell that took him back to his childhood, before games arcades and shopping malls; when he would spend his afternoons sitting at the window of that small café watching the world go by.

"You're about to taste the _best coffee ever_," Sandy announced, puffing up his chest almost territorially.

"Really?" Kirsten asked, amused.

"Yeah. Forget your vanilla half-caff caramel macchiato. This is _proper_ coffee."

Kirsten giggled and stood by as Sandy ordered them coffee. He brought them over in paper cups and gestured for Kirsten to return outside. She hesitated for a moment, her small frame still nervous about the bitter cold that filled the air; but she complied, the buzz of excitement from the crowds of people coaxing her outside. Sandy led them to the ice rink and they rested against the bars. The Rockefeller Centre stood majestically in front of them, adorned with a bright Christmas tree.

"Hmm, good coffee," Kirsten murmured.

Sandy smiled a smile that said _'I told you so'_ and Kirsten nudged him playfully. She sighed happily, staring out at the scene in front of her and her mind taking a snapshot picture.

"There's something magical about Christmas, don't you think?" she pondered. "The snow and the ice. It makes everything seem…I don't know – different."

She breathed deeply as if she were inhaling everything around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the amused look on Sandy's face.

"What?" Kirsten cried indignantly. "You got to grow up here; you got to experience this every year."

"You know, when I was younger, there weren't any big ice rinks around the city," Sandy mused. "All the local kids would find a frozen pond or lake to skate on. I would take Joel and Abby with me to this lake near our house. We would spend hours there. Most of the other kids weren't allowed to skate there because their parents thought it was too dangerous, and even Ma would warn us about going there – but we didn't care. Maybe it was the danger that excited us. I guess when you're younger, you don't have the same things that hold you back. You don't worry about what _might_ happen, you just live in the moment. What is it about growing up that makes you skate that little bit slower and that little bit closer to railings?"

"Life," Kirsten answered simply, slipping her arm through his. "Every time you fall, every time you get hurt, you become a little bit more cautious."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Sandy questioned openly.

"I don't know. I guess the more cautious you are, the less scars you'll have," Kirsten said.

"But it's not as much fun," Sandy concluded.

A glint appeared in Kirsten's eye. "Are you saying we're not fun?"

Sandy couldn't help but chuckle. "Ah, honey, you know what happened the last time we had this conversation."

Kirsten smiled. She remembered that New Year's night very well. With one last gaze out at the ice rink, she tugged at his arm as her body starting to shiver in the cold wind.

"Come on, swinger, let's go home."

* * *

"I haven't had a burger in years," the Nana declared as she looked at the half empty plate in front of her. She saw Seth eyeing it greedily. "Sethela, one day your eyes will be too big for your stomach."

"Yes, but not today, Nana," Seth grinned.

Sophie laughed and looked towards Ryan. "Ryan, would you like any more before Seth devours it all?"

"No, he wouldn't. He's on a diet," Seth answered first.

Before Ryan had a chance to argue, Seth was taking a bite of the remaining burger. Ryan shook his head, amused.

"What about dessert?" Sophie asked.

"No, thank you," Ryan shook his head. "I'm full."

"Yes please," Seth said through a mouthful of food.

"Sethela, where are your manners?" Sophie scolded lightly.

Seth feigned innocence and Sophie laughed. She was enjoying the evening alone with the two boys. Seth had done most of the talking, obviously, but she was glad to see Ryan relaxed around her. Sandy had encouraged her to spend time with him during her last visit to California but her impending treatment had prevented that. She knew that Sandy and Kirsten now thought of Ryan as their son, but he was still new to her. She knew it would take time before she would consider Ryan to be her grandson, but it was something she was willing to learn.

"So, Ryan, is there anything you have seen or done that you would like to do tomorrow?" Sophie asked.

"He hasn't discovered New York's amazing collection of comic book stores…" Seth started, silenced by glares from both Ryan and the Nana.

"I don't know, I think Kirsten showed me pretty much everything yesterday," Ryan answered.

"Well, if you ever want to come and see more of the city, you boys are welcome to visit any time you want," Sophie offered.

"Mi casa, su casa," Seth sung.

"Exactly," Sophie said.

They were interrupted by the sharp shrill of Seth's cellphone. He took it from his pocket and they all shared nervous looks in case it was Sandy and Kirsten, home early from their night out and worried at finding an empty house. From the smile of delight that crossed Seth's face when he looked at the caller ID, Ryan guessed it could only be one person.

"Summer! Lonely in Newport without me? No Zach-attack to amuse you?"

Seth rose from his seat and wandered away from the table to continue his banter in privacy.

"I thought those two were just friends now," Sophie commented curiously.

Ryan grunted. "I don't think those two will ever be _'just friends'_," he mumbled, looking embarrassed when he realised he had spoken aloud.

They paused in an awkward silence, which was eventually broken by Ryan.

"Sandy says you're a social worker? That you help disadvantaged kids find homes and jobs?" he questioned.

"That's right," Sophie answered. "For the last 40 years of my life."

"You must be proud of Sandy following in your footsteps."

Sophie sneered at his suggestion. "By what? Quitting his job to go into private practice? Opening a restaurant? Selling his soul to help men like Caleb Nichol?"

Ryan was surprised at her tone. He had only ever seen Sandy's actions as acts of kindness.

"By helping those who really need it – like me," Ryan said shyly.

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "Well, you were an exception. Sandy obviously saw something special in you."

Ryan blushed at her words.

"I was lucky," he said. "When Sandy was appointed as my lawyer, I never imagined he would become my family."

"My Sandy has a generous heart," Sophie gushed. "So does Seth."

"And Kirsten," Ryan said. "I never would have been allowed to stay if she hadn't agreed."

Sophie couldn't help but roll her eyes at the mention of her daughter-in-law.

"She's just the same as everyone else in that small-minded town you live in," Sophie said.

"She gave me a second chance," Ryan defended. "Not many people in Newport would have done that."

Ryan shrugged honestly. Sophie stared at him for a moment, before her face softened into a smile. He was loyal – a Cohen trait. He seemed to fit in the mismatched family that Sandy had created.

Sophie was curious about Ryan's own family but she knew better than to ask. Her experiences, collected over the past 40 years in the Bronx, gave her some idea about what Ryan's life had been like before her son and daughter-in-law had taken him in. She knew many children who were waiting for that same lucky break – a lucky break she worked so hard at finding for them.

"You know, Ryan, there's something you could actually help me with," Sophie said.

Ryan looked surprised. "Me?"

"Yes. I have this young boy on my files at the moment, just fifteen years old. I managed to place him in foster care but he seems intent on ruining his chances. He steals, he cuts school and he has a terrible pastime of drawing graffiti all over the city. It doesn't matter what I or his foster parents say to him, he just doesn't listen. What do _you_ think?"

Ryan wasn't sure how to respond. "Well…why does he do it?"

"Excuse me?" Sophie didn't understand his question.

"There must be a reason he behaves like that," Ryan explained. "I mean when I…"

He paused. He rarely spoke about his past to those closest to him and, even though the Nana was family – the _Cohen's_ family – she was still a stranger to him. But he knew that if anyone had seen the things he gone through as a child, the Nana had.

"When I was younger, I did some stupid stuff – made some bad choices," Ryan explained. "But there was always a reason for it. When I stole, it was usually because my mom was…well, when she wasn't feeling well and we didn't have anything to eat. When I skipped school, it was because my face was covered in bruises and I didn't want the teachers to interfere. When my mom left and Sandy took me away from Chino, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. The reasons I had before weren't there any more. And yeah, I still got in trouble; you can't fix things that quickly. But I know I've changed."

"But there isn't a Sandy Cohen for every child in New York," Sophie said.

"But there's a Sophie Cohen," Ryan said with a shy smile.

Sophie shook her head and smiled sadly at his kind words. "My dear boy, I fear there's not enough of me to help everyone that needs it."

"Sandy always says you can't save everyone," Ryan said.

"He's right," Sophie agreed.

"But you should help the ones you can help," Ryan continued, "…like Sandy helping you."

Ryan bit his lip, wondering if he had said too much. He didn't really feel like it was his place to comment, but he had seen Sandy's frustration at the Nana's defiance and during the course of their conversation, Ryan had remembered how much Sandy had helped him. Ryan felt that he should return the favour.

Sophie was taken aback at his unexpected boldness. She didn't respond immediately.

"You know, when I first met Sandy I refused his help too," Ryan said, surprised at his own confidence now, but embracing it. "He gave me his business card but I didn't think that I would ever use it. But when my mom kicked me out and there was no-one else around to help me, I called him; and he came, no questions asked."

"So?" Sophie questioned the point of his story.

"So it's never too late to accept help," Ryan said.

Before Sophie could say anything else, Seth returned to the table.

"You're not going to believe this…" he started to ramble, oblivious to the conversation he had just interrupted. As he continued his story about Summer, Ryan sank back in his seat worried that he had said too much. Maybe he didn't know the Nana well enough to comment on her decisions like he had.

When Sophie ordered the bill, Ryan offered the few dollar bills in his pocket. Sophie caught his hand, pushing him away arguing that it was her treat. She lingered for a moment, squeezing his hand lightly in her own, offering the comfort that he needed. Ryan was grateful for it. As they left the diner, Ryan offered his arm to Sophie and she accepted gratefully as they walked over the icy paths.

The silent conversation between them went unnoticed by Seth. Ryan hailed down a taxi and the journey home was spent listening to Seth's animated voice.

"Sethela, don't you ever get tired of talking?" Sophie asked wearily, relieved when the car finally pulled into her street. Seth's brow furrowed and he looked at his Nana like she had grown another head.

The house was dark, which meant that Sandy and Kirsten had not returned home in their absence.

"Would you boys like a hot chocolate before bed?" Sophie asked.

"Let me make it," Ryan offered.

Sophie opened her mouth to object, an automatic reaction to an offer of help; but she closed it again and nodded. "Thank you, Ryan, that would be good."

A small smile crossed Ryan's lips.

"Have I missed something?" Seth asked as he followed the polite conversation between Ryan and the Nana.

"Nope," Ryan said.

"Nothing at all, my dear," Sophie said, patting his arm.

From the hallway, they heard the front door open and the sound of voices echoed into the front room. Seth dived onto the sofa, grabbing the remote control and turning on the television, trying to look as casual as he could.

"Mom! Dad! How was your evening?" Seth asked gaily.

"Lovely thanks, Seth," Kirsten answered warmly as she unwrapped the scarf from around her neck. "How was yours?"

"It was _very_ nice," Sophie answered. They all noticed her emphasis.

"What did you guys get up to?" Sandy asked.

"Oh, we just…hung out," Seth said.

_Again, it wasn't a **lie**. _

"Would you like some hot chocolate?" Ryan offered from the kitchen, waving a couple of mugs at them.

"No thanks, son, I'm beat. I'm gonna head to bed," Sandy said. He tipped his head for Kirsten to follow.

"Me too. Don't stay up too late," Kirsten warned them.

"No, mom," Seth promised.

"Goodnight kids," Sandy said.

"Do you think we got away with it?" Seth asked once his parents were safely out of earshot.

"Of course!" Sophie said. "You know, I'm not tired at all. Who fancies another game of poker. I'm feeling competitive."

"Ha, you'll never win against Ryan, Nana," Seth gloated on Ryan's behalf.

"Maybe," Sophie winked at Seth, before looking towards Ryan. "What about you, Ryan? Are you game?"

"Always," Ryan smiled, carrying across three mugs of hot chocolate.

As the three of them settled at the table, Sophie looked between the two boys. Maybe it wouldn't be too long before she considered Ryan to be her grandson.

In fact, maybe she already did.


	6. Chapter 6

**It's a Chrismukkah miracle!**

**I can't believe it has taken me almost 2 years to write 6 chapters! If anyone is still reading this, I'll be amazed. But here it is, the final chapter. It's unbeta'd so any mistakes are my own fault – plus the fault of the bottle of wine I have just consumed. I've lost my muse for writing, so please don't flame the poor quality. Enjoy and a slightly belated Merry Christmas to you all!**

* * *

When Sandy woke the next morning, he was surprised to find himself alone in bed. The empty space where he expected to see his wife was still warm and her imprint remained in the bedding. He listened carefully for the sound of movement downstairs and heard the gentle clatter of mugs. Looking at his watch, he realised he had slept in later than usual.

He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. For a moment last night he had relaxed, allowing himself to get lost in the music of the Broadway show. This morning, however, reality was back and he knew he only had one more day to make a difference.

Wrapping his robe around him, he stumbled downstairs. Sophie, Seth and Ryan were scattered around the kitchen, talking jovially amongst themselves. They all acknowledged his arrival and he returned their greeting – a gentle slap on Ryan's back, a ruffle of Seth's curls and a kiss on the cheek for the Nana.

"Where's your mom?" Sandy asked Seth.

"On the phone," Seth answered.

"She's planning something," Sophie commented suspiciously, shooting Sandy a questioning look.

Sandy raised his eyebrows, his face blank as he wondered what his wife was doing. He hoped that she had called her father to make peace. As much as Caleb Nichol was not his favourite person at the moment – or ever – he was still concerned about how much Kirsten was hurting. He hated her silence. He knew the way she fought her demons, keeping her feelings locked up until breaking point. She was putting all her energy into _him_ right now, encouraging and supporting him as he tried to find a way to help the Nana, hoping that her own problems would go unnoticed. As soon as they were home, his energy would go into helping her; for one more day, he needed to focus on his mother.

He watched her now. She was upbeat this morning, enjoying the conversation with Seth and Ryan – sharing in their jokes and laughter. He knew that Seth had reached out to her yesterday and Sandy was also happy to see a change in her relationship with Ryan.

Amongst all the feelings he had felt since she had told him about her diagnosis, the most common feeling was one of regret. Not of the past; Sandy knew that nothing he could do would ever change the past. But he wished their relationship could be different. She had always felt so distant from him. He had never felt connected to her, not like the way he felt connected to Seth, and no matter how hard he tried, Sandy felt like he might never be able to change the way they were.

Interrupting his thoughts, Kirsten's voice echoed through the halls and became louder as she entered the kitchen, the phone still held up to her ear.

"Thank you very much. We'll see you in an hour," Kirsten said, ending the conversation and dropping the phone onto the counter. She greeted them all cheerily. "Good morning!"

"See who in an hour?" Sophie asked.

Kirsten's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You'll see. We have to leave in 30 minutes, make sure you're ready," she told them.

"Ready for what?" Seth asked.

"You'll find out soon enough. Now go and get ready," Kirsten instructed, pulling his chair out from under him to make him stand up.

"Well, how do I know what to wear if you don't tell me where we're going?" Seth feigned vanity.

Kirsten laughed. "Dress warm. Now _go_."

Seth stuck out his bottom lip playfully, but left obediently. Ryan followed him before Kirsten could give him the same treatment.

"What are you planning?" Sandy asked suspiciously, finally speaking.

Kirsten grinned. "You'll see."

She moved across the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. Sophie watched as Sandy's eyes followed her, looking between the two and suddenly feeling out of place in her own kitchen.

"Well, if we're working to a timetable, I'm going to go and get ready," Sophie announced, standing up from her seat and leaving them alone.

Sandy moved over to where Kirsten was stood, leaning his hip against the counter to look at her.

"What are you up to?"

Kirsten turned to look at him. "You'll see," she repeated again. She rested her hand against his chest and leaned towards him, kissing him softly. "Trust me."

"I do."

Kirsten smiled. "You should go and get dressed, we have to leave soon."

Sandy nodded, pushing himself upright and dropping a kiss onto her temple before heading upstairs.

As instructed, everybody was ready to leave in half an hour. A taxi drove them into the city. Seth's voice filled the car with anecdotes and jokes, keeping them all entertained as they drove towards the unknown.

Sandy was the first to realise where they were going. The buildings and trees were familiar from only the night before. He frowned, shooting his wife a confused look. Kirsten simply smiled, her eyes telling him to be patient. Eventually, the taxi pulled up outside the Rockefeller Centre. As they piled out of the car, Seth spotted some familiar faces by the ice rink.

"Hey, it's Uncle Joel and Abby – and cousin Jeffrey."

He started towards his family. Ryan looked back towards Kirsten, who gestured her head to follow him. His head gave a slight nod as he did as she said. Kirsten turned her head to find Sandy and the Nana giving her identical curious looks, and she couldn't help but smile at the overwhelming similarity between them.

"Come on," she encouraged, setting off after the boys.

They followed her towards the edge of the ice rink where Sandy's family were huddled together. Seth was in the middle of his cousins. They all shared the dark Cohen hair, Jewish awkwardness and geeky demeanour.

"Hey big brother!" Joel greeted Sandy with a bear hug and a firm slap on the back.

Sandy ruffled his younger brother's hair. "Hey little brother! Hey Abby," Sandy turned to embrace his sister. "What are you all doing here?"

"Kirsten called us," Abby answered, her eyes flicking towards Kirsten in recognition. "She asked us to meet you here and told the kids to bring their ice-skates."

"We're skating? Awesome!" Seth cheered.

"We are?" Sandy was surprised.

Kirsten nodded. "I hired the rink for an hour. I thought we could have some _fun_."

Sandy smiled, noting her emphasis. He clapped his hands together with enthusiasm. "Ok, let's skate!"

The crowd around him cheered before dispersing to find their skates. Sophie was dragged away by her youngest grandchild, Ela, who was talking animatedly.

"Come on, dude, let's go and find some skates," Seth encouraged Ryan.

Ryan hesitated, looking unsure.

"Ryan?" Sandy questioned.

"I, uh…I've never been skating before," Ryan said quietly.

"Oh, you'll soon get the hang of it, don't worry," Sandy said.

"Yeah, Ryan, and you haven't seen my mom's attempts at skating yet either," Seth joked.

"Hey!" Kirsten protested.

Seth shrugged at her and Kirsten shook her head at him. Ryan looked over his shoulder at the ice rink, where some of Seth's younger cousins had already taken to the ice. He rocked back onto his heels, pushing himself into a walk. He took a deep breath determinedly.

"Ok, come on," he said to Seth.

"Alright!" Seth followed into step behind him.

Sandy felt a pair of arms circle around his waist and a chin rest of his shoulder.

"I'll make you a deal," Kirsten's soft voice spoke in his ear. "I won't hold on to the edge if you don't."

Sandy smiled. "You know, honey, Seth's right about your skating…"

Kirsten slapped his arm playfully. As she did, Sandy caught her hand and pulled her in front of him, pulling her body against his.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," Kirsten smiled. She nodded her head in the direction of the ice rink. "Wanna skate?"

"Sure."

Sophie, meanwhile, was leaning against the edge of the rink, watching her family enjoy themselves on the ice. It was rare to see them all together. The last time had been Jeffrey's Bar Mitzvah four years ago. Sophie loved to watch them interact – Sandy with his brother and sister; Seth with his cousins. She wrapped her arms around her body to keep herself warm, watching as one-by-one they skated by her, always calling out hello as they passed by.

Seth was racing his cousins, balancing easily on the thin blades after years of skateboarding. Ryan, however, was wobbling along the edge of the ice rink, his ankles rocking from side to side as he tried to balance. Sandy and Kirsten kept to the middle of the rink, skating alongside Joel and Abby. Joel and Abby were more at ease on the ice; Sandy soon remembered the skill of skating while Kirsten's hand gripped Sandy's tightly as she tried to avoid falling over.

Sophie backed away from the edge of the ice rink, seeking a cup of coffee from the local vendor to keep her warm. She wrapped her fingers around the hot paper cup and inhaled the rich smell.

"Can I get one of those too, please?" a familiar voice asked over Sophie's shoulder.

Sophie turned and saw Kirsten behind her, her hand extended to pay the vendor.

"This was a very _popular _idea," Sophie commented, gesturing towards the ice rink.

Kirsten didn't respond, preferring to ignore the snide comment. Instead, she settled on one of the seats overlooking the ice rink, watching the figures gliding round.

"You know, Sandy only wants to do what's right for you," Kirsten said over her shoulder.

She heard Sophie sigh irritably.

"If you're here to tell me…" Sophie started.

"I'm not here to tell you anything," Kirsten interrupted. "I'm here to _ask_ you to let Sandy help you. He wants to and…and you need it. And no matter what you think, there's nothing wrong with accepting help."

Kirsten spoke softly, each word pronounced carefully. She waited in silence, surprised when Sophie sat down on the seat next to her.

"What would you know about accepting help? You've always had everything you're ever needed," Sophie said.

"That's not true," Kirsten argued. "Besides, this isn't about me. This is about you and Sandy. He's a good man. No matter how hard you try to push him away, I know he won't give up."

"I'm not trying to push him away," Sophie contended.

"Then what are you trying to do? You have an amazing son, do you even know that?" Kirsten asked. "He's kind and warm and generous. Everybody likes him, everybody respects him. You might not realise it, but he is all those things because of you. You're his mother, you raised him to be the man he is and you should be so proud of him."

"I _am_ proud of him," Sophie said.

"Well maybe you should tell him that," Kirsten said. "Because I don't think he knows."

"Why do you care so much?" Sophie asked curiously.

Kirsten smiled. "Because it's Chrismukkah."

A commotion on the ice rink caught their attention. They both looked up to see Ryan spinning around on his back in the middle of the ice. Kirsten jumped to her feet, but was immediately calmed by the sound of laughter that came floating towards them.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to join my family on the ice," Kirsten said. She started to walk towards the ice rink and paused, turning back towards Sophie. "Please think about what I've said."

Sophie stared at her daughter-in-law for a moment, before nodding slowly. She watched as Kirsten skated precariously towards Sandy, seeing him catch her in his arms and hearing the sound of his deep laugh echo off the frozen water. She thought about what Kirsten had said, and about what Sandy, Seth and Ryan had said in the days before. As she looked around at her family, she felt more determined than ever to fight the cancer that was invading her body, but she also conceded that couldn't do it alone. Joel and Abby did all they could, but they had their own families to take care of. So did Sandy she conceded, given the distance between them. Maybe it was time to accept that she needed help after all.

"Nana! Nana! Did you see me spin?" the cries of Sophie's youngest granddaughter, Ela, echoed as she came running into her arms.

"Oh no, sweetheart, I didn't," Sophie answered, pulling her granddaughter close. "Will you show me again?"

The young girl nodded, taking the Nana's hand and pulling her towards the edge.

"Are you going to join us, Nana?" Seth teased as he skated by, slowing down to stop in front of her.

Sophie stood with her hands on her hips. "You know what, Sethela, I think I just might."

Seth stood open-mouthed as Sophie collected a pair of skates from the booth. Sandy pulled up behind him.

"What's going on?"

"Nana's going to skate!" cried Ela.

"But Ma…"

"Sandy Cohen, don't you dare ruin my fun," Sophie scolded lightly. "Just help me onto the ice."

Eyebrows raised, Sandy glided closer and held out his hand. His eyes caught his mother's and she winked at him. "You see, son, I do know how to ask for help sometimes."

Gripping Sandy's hand tightly, Sophie took her first step onto the ice. She wobbled and Seth rushed to her other side to keep her on her feet. Sophie thanked him and she let them lead her around the ice rink. As her feet moved one after the other and the wind blew through her hair, Sophie felt more alive than she had in a long time.

* * *

Sandy put the last bag into the taxi and closed the trunk with a heavy bang.

"Ok guys, we're ready to go," he announced.

Seth was the first to embrace the Nana.

"Goodbye, Nana," Seth said, enveloping her in a hug.

Sophie squeezed him tightly. "Goodbye, Sethela. And thank you," she murmured in his ear. "See you soon?"

Seth nodded, yes.

Sophie turned to Ryan. "It was very nice to see you again, young man. You're welcome here any time you'd like to visit, just like anyone else in the family," she told him.

She left a kiss on his cheek, smiling as he blushed. She then turned to Kirsten, who moved in awkwardly to say goodbye.

"Take care of yourself, Sophie," Kirsten said. Sophie nodded, accepting her embrace and surprising her by squeezing her hands as they separated.

Kirsten gestured for the boys to get into the taxi, climbing in after them and leaving Sandy to say goodbye.

"It was good to see you, Ma," Sandy said.

"And you, Sandy," Sophie said. "Now, about this hired help you want to employ…"

"Really?" Sandy said hopefully.

"I have some ground rules," Sophie said sternly. "Just twice-a-week. I don't want someone coming in and disturbing me every day. I have absolute veto over who this person is. And…"

"And?"

"And if I agree to this, then I want you to promise me that you'll visit me at least once-a-month," Sophie ordered.

Sandy smiled. "Ok, Ma. I can agree to those ground rules."

He pulled his mother into a hug, holding her close. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_," Sophie returned the sentiment.

The pulled apart and Sophie lifted her hand to his cheek, touching him lightly with her fingers. Sandy took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Goodbye, Ma. See you soon."

Sophie nodded, finding herself disappointed that their visit was over so soon. She watched him walk around to the other side of the vehicle, opening the door to climb into the backseat with Kirsten and Seth.

"Sandy!" she called before he had followed his family into the taxi.

"Yes, Ma?"

Sophie moved closer to him and took his hands in her own. "I just wanted to say…I'm very proud of you, Sandy Cohen. Everything you do, everything you've become – I'm proud of you."

Sandy felt his eyes swell up with tears. "Thank you, Ma."

Sophie nodded. "Get going, you'll miss your flight," she said stoically.

Sandy leant forwards and kissed her cheek, before finally climbing into the taxi and ordering the driver to start. He sat quietly in the back and felt Kirsten's hand entwine with his.

"Are you ok?" Kirsten asked softly.

Sandy nodded.

"She'll be ok," Kirsten said. "She's got that Cohen stubbornness which means she'll never give up."

Sandy smiled, turning his head to face her. "It's obviously rubbed off on you."

"What do you mean?" Kirsten frowned.

"Your dad," Sandy answered softly.

Kirsten smiled wryly. "It's ok. I'll talk to him," she appeased him.

"I'm glad," Sandy said. He relaxed, snuggling down into the back of the taxi and sighing softly. "I can't wait to get home."

"Me too," Kirsten agreed, tipping her head to rest on his shoulder. "Do you think we'll ever have a peaceful holiday?"

Sandy chuckled, pessimistic. "Maybe next Chrismukkah."


End file.
